Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-10-06
The washington Presbytery.


The Prefbytery OF Washington City con
,nued its session ! este;day morning, after
noon on0 evening IL lhe Westminster
Church, Oh Seventh street. The appeal of
Rev. Francis NJ Todd, Of Manassas. against
the action of the Presbytery al lis meeting
lasl July was presented to tie stated clerk
in the same of Rev. DR. Sunderland, who
was 100 unweii to attend in person. The
appeal is made 10 the Synod, which meets
at Dover, Del, Oh October 25, and was
handed 10 The stated clerk of Presbytery
Yesterday OILY because that tunctionary is
the official instrument Of Communication
with the Synod. Alr Todd's appeal is
against the verdict of mot proven" on the
"Uot guilty" Rev DR.. Childs, ex Moder
ed acommittee to defend the Presbytery be-
fore the Synod.
DR. Childs, who vas elected y the pre-
vious meeting Of Presuyiery to conduct the
prosecution against Dir. Todd, announced
tina! some citizens OF Manassas had handed
hin T. lot of papers connected with Mr..
Todd which no had delivered over TO eX-
Motera or Fretch, explaining hal ;he pa
pe,s cjuss,ed merely {! copy OF he reso-
lulious passed by the an!i-Toddies at mass
| meeting held sone time @go oJ Manassas,
and some clippings from newspapers nclud-
| ing the names OF enc hundred AID fifty men
who we're said ~ have called that meeting
Mr. French explained that tbs papers did
not come from eny Presbyterian body, they
were nnt even n'tested by any
officer Of the mass meeting, and
he did not suppose that Presbyters
could receive them, an opinion in which the
new moderator, DR.. Hsmline, readily agreed.
Mr.. French added, though, that lest it
should be said elsewhere that the Presby-
terry attempted to hide anythiog, the matter
was better mentioned. He also said that
| he had received from another source an an.
alyss of that anti Todd meeting, showing
that very small proportion were citizens
of Manassas, most Of them having been
gathered from distant parts Of the country,
hardly any d them being Presbyter-
iaas and mono of them being members of
Mr.. Todd's church. Another member Of
Presbytery added that the enemies of Mr..
Todd having been heard from, it Was only
proper that the Preshyiory should also hear
that ;ha members Of his church aud those
who knew him bsst had passed resolutions
| of confidence il bm and presented him
with purse Of gold to belp to make his va
cation more enjoyable.
So much hGvirg neen told, the subject
was dropped.
The moderator announced several com.
mittepe, Rev J. NJ. Nourse, oil this city,
being on the committee on leave Of absence,
and Elder Pearson Oh that Of statistics for
the Synod Rev. Mr.. Nourse was made
Chairman Of tbs committe On history.
After tho statistical report. showing sc
ministers, 80 churches aud 4,776 communi.
casts in the PreshY tery, had been read, con-
siderable routine business was transacted.
The evening session vas devoted to talk
81. the state Of religion, and each member
rose rs his name waa called and made a
Statement; concerning the progress made by
his church sinco ;ho last meeting of the
Presb3iery. Each was shown to be in a
fourisbing condition, and the remarks OF
the ministers did not greatly vary. When
the name of Rev. L. III. Todd, of Manassas,
was called Mr.. Todd rose slowly. and said
You al know the trouble that have been
in, but am happy to say that it was not at
all with tho members of my church., The
church and the pastor have been as q unit
in sentiment, and no people could have
stood by q man more noby than the mem
bers of my church have STOOD by me. Since
the trouble came up the church has in.
creased in membership"
The meeting adjourned until the 18Th oil
October, when it will meet at the Sixth
Church. corner OF Sixth and G streets south
west